Contact

Brittany Kmush, Graduate Program Director
430 Barclay
315-443-1541
blkmush@syr.edu

Program Description

The Master of Public Health (MPH) is a 42-credit hour graduate program designed to provide students with core knowledge and skills necessary for the development, implementation, and advancement of evidence-based public health policies, programs and initiatives. Students choose one concentration in 'Epidemiology', 'Global Health', or 'Public Health Policy'.  The MPH program is accredited by the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH).

Admissions

The admissions requirements for this program include an undergraduate degree with a minimum cumulative 3.2 GPA, TOEFL scores (for international applications), undergraduate transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and a resume and personal statement.

Part-Time Study

Part-time study is acceptable; however, time to degree completion depends on available course offerings and number of courses enrolled. Time limit to degree completion is 7 years.

Financial Support

Limited department financial aid is available in the form of graduate assistantships and scholarship credits for students enrolled in masters and doctoral programs. Financial aid is determined based on merit.

Additional information regarding graduate financial aid can be found at https://financialaid.syr.edu/typesofaid/graduatestudentaid/

Satisfactory Progress

Certification for a graduate degree at Syracuse University requires a minimum average of 3.0 for work comprising the program for the degree and a 2.8 average for all credits earned.

Facilities

Courses are taught in classrooms across Syracuse University. In addition, research laboratories currently housed in White Hall will provide students opportunities to engage in scholarship with faculty mentors.

Degree

MPH, 42 credits

Student Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes for MPH Core

1. Apply epidemiological, quantitative,  and qualitative data methods to public health challenges.
2. Examine structural biases and systemic factors of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across diverse socio-cultural, national and international settings
3. Design population-based policies, programs, and interventions using scientific principals, assessment and evaluation
4. Apply culturally relevant and effective public health communication strategies using verbal, visual, and written methods
5. Use systems thinking tools and leadership principles and skills to understand and address organizational or community challenges 
6. Engage with non-public health fields and settings to cultivate diverse perspectives of addressing public health issues

Learning Outcomes for the Concentrations

Epidemiology

1. Examine patterns of risk or resilience factors for disease using public databases
2. Develop an epidemiologic study design applicable to the investigation of a specific factor that affects the health of a community
3. Suggest methods to eliminate sources of bias and confounding in epidemiologic data
4. Apply mediational analyses to understand how health interventions or exposures produce their effects
5. Implement statistical software and geographical information systems to understand a public health problem

Global Health

1. Evaluate governance approaches and responses to global health problems within diverse sociocultural and political settings
2. Differentiate between the roles of public and private actors including global organizations, consortiums, and networks in responses to global health problems
3. Propose solutions to eliminate environmental exposures using principles of sustainable development, justice, and accountability
4. Propose strategies to address health equity and social justice challenges affecting underserved populations
5. Evaluate prevention and control strategies for infectious disease

Public Health Policy

1. Analyze the main components and challenges in the organization, financing, and delivery of health care and public health services
2. Examine health care reforms in relation to their likely effects on health spending, quality of care, or access to care
3. Communicate empirical results from policy research to public audiences
4. Propose behavioral interventions for health or public policy
5. Develop a comprehensive advocacy plan for addressing a global health equity issue

Required Courses

The credit distribution and requirements for the 42 credit MPH program are outlined below.

Program Milestones

These non-credit bearing experiences are required.

• Foundational Public Health Training:  By the end of their first semester, students entering the MPH degree program must successfully complete the Public Health Foundations Training requirement. Exception:  Students who have graduated from a CEPH accredited BSPH program are exempt from this requirement.

Transfer Credit

Students may transfer up to 9 credits. Substituted/transferred course work should cover material equivalent to that which is covered in the relevant required course. Substitution/transfer requests will need to be approved by the graduate director. Students transferring courses from another institution must file a program of study prior to completing 12 credits at Syracuse University.